Washington Report – July 29, 2024

Both chambers of Congress will be out of session in August and in their states for consitituent and in-district work. This is an excellent opportunity for APWA members to get in touch with your U.S. Representatives and Senators about public works priorities. If you need assistance with contact information or policy materials, contact APWA Director of Government and Public Affairs Andrea Eales at aeales@apwa.org.

The next issue of the APWA Washington Report will be sent Sept. 16 following PWX in Atlanta. Follow us on X and LinkedIn for regular updates.

Latest News

Join APWA for a Free IIJA Webinar – Registration Closes Today

• In its eighth webinar on IIJA, the APWA Government Affairs Team will host Valerie Boulet, executive director of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Program Office (BPO) at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), who will discuss FEMA’s implementation of this historic law and its impact on public works;
• Tune in at 11 a.m. ET, July 30, to learn more about FEMA’s programs and support to local communities and how FEMA is addressing disaster-related challenges;
• Register here.

Engineering and Public Works Roadshow Honored

• APWA’s 2-year collaboration with the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) on the Engineering & Public Works Roadshow has been honored with a Power of Associations Silver Award by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) in The Power of Industry and Professional Advancement category;
• The Power of Industry and Professional Advancement category recognizes associations that address industry and professional advancement with innovative educational and professional development opportunities; engage in public relations and communications campaigns to further an industry or profession’s reputation; and conducts research to enhance the collective body of knowledge for an industry or profession;
• The Silver Power of Associations Award underscores the value of the Roadshow to promote the essential role of public works and engineering to key state and federal audiences, not to mention the next generation of professionals;
• The Roadshow’s next stop will be Aug. 29 in Golden, Col., to highlight the completion of a segment of trail in Clear Creek Canyon.

House Passes Water Resources Development Act (WRDA)

• In advance of the vote, APWA CEO Scott D. Grayson, CAE, joined other stakeholders and issued a statement of support:
  • “We appreciate the bipartisan approach to support water infrastructure in this latest iteration of WRDA, and we trust members will continue to build on these investments so we can complete these projects in a timely and efficient manner”
• The bill:
  • Authorizes 161 new feasibility studies for locally proposed projects and 12 projects that have been thoroughly reviewed by the Army Corps of Engineers and have culminated in a final report to Congress with approval by the Chief of Engineers or the Director of Civil Works
  • Makes reforms that empower the non-federal project sponsors, increase project transparency, and improve project delivery
  • Strengthens existing alternative delivery processes and creates similar alternative delivery methods within the continuing authorities program (CAP) for smaller projects
  • Requires the Corps to track National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents for water resource projects through their online permitting dashboard
  • Creates a new initiative to assist non-federal interests in accessing resources at the Corps to get new projects studied and constructed
  • Reauthorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) National Dam Safety Program through 2028 and makes changes to strengthen the High Hazard Potential Dam program, including requiring that rehabilitated dams are maintained, and appropriate floodplain management plans are in place
• For more information, click here.

New Tools from EPA

• As part of EPA’s ongoing efforts to implement the Infrastructure Law, updates have been made to the Water Technical Assistance (WaterTA) website including a new Engineering Support webpage and improved Closing America’s Wastewater Access Gap webpage;
• WaterTA Engineering Support Services can provide communities with expertise needed to apply for funding for drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure projects. Services include:
  • Development of preliminary engineering documents, including preliminary engineering reports that are often required for funding applications
  • Project needs assessments and environmental documentation
  • Quick-turnaround, preliminary-cost estimates for SRF pre-applications and applications
• The Closing America’s Wastewater Access Gap provides no-cost technical assistance to communities with failing septic systems or without existing wastewater infrastructure;
• EPA is also releasing an exciting new data set, mapping application, and supporting materials related to Community Water System (CWS) Service Area Boundaries;
  • The new tool allows users to learn more about who provides their drinking water using an interactive map
    • The map includes modeled boundaries and actual boundaries available for some states
• Knowing these boundaries helps to connect system data (such as compliance status) with data about the populations/demographics that drink the water, and can be used to improve planning, environmental justice analyses, emergency response, and more;
• EPA has developed a national data standard, webpages, and other materials to contextualize, improve upon, and support the use of this boundary data;
• Additionally, EPA has updated the Locating and Selecting Scenarios Online (LASSO) and Integrated Climate and Land-Use Scenarios (ICLUS) tools and is hosting a training webinar on Aug. 1 at 3 p.m. ET on how to access and use them for adaptation planning;
• LASSO guides you step-by-step through the process of identifying and downloading climate change scenarios/projections that are relevant to your interest or research question while ICLUS explores future changes in human population, housing density, and impervious surface for the United States;
• All of this coincides with a new EPA memo to ensure remedies in Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act enforcement actions are resilient in the face of climate impacts, such as sea level rise, flooding, and drought, which will increasingly affect water infrastructure.

New DOT Funding and Webinar Opportunities

• The U.S. Department of Transportation has an Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act/Bipartisan Infrastructure Law website that offers regularly updated information related to funding opportunities, requirements, and deadlines, as well as technical assistance information, and already funded projects;
• Upcoming online opportunities include the following:
  • Resources for Transforming Legacy Highways webinar with DOT Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg and Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) July 31 at 3 p.m. ET
  • Grant writing Clinic for Prospective Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program Grantees taking place Aug. 16 at noon ET
• APWA also highlights all funding opportunities for transportation, emergency management, and water resiliency-related policy priorities on our U.S. Infrastructure Law: Resources for Public Works page;
• Make sure to check both APWA and DOT sites regularly and follow APWA Government Affairs on X and LinkedIn to make sure you don’t miss public works-related infrastructure law opportunities.

FEMA Seeks Comments on its Disaster Case Management Program

• The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is requesting feedback on its Disaster Case Management Program;
• This disaster recovery plan includes resources, decision-making priorities, providing guidance, and tools to assist disaster survivors;
• This Request for Information (RFI) is a continuation of FEMA’s recent updates to its individual assistance program, which focuses on establishing new and flexible forms of assistance, and streamlining the application process for survivors;
• The deadline to submit comments through the SAM.gov portal is Aug. 25.

On the Horizon

All times ET.

• July 31 at 10 a.m., the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a markup on permitting legislation;
• July 31 at 10 a.m., the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee has an executive session to consider dozens of bills, including the Rural Broadband Protection Act (S. 275), Preventing Heat Illnesses and Death Act (S. 2645), PLAN for Broadband Act (S. 2238), and the National Landslide Preparedness Act (S. 3788), among others;
• July 31 at 10 a.m., the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee has a hearing on Longterm Economic Benefits and Impacts from Federal Infrastructure and Public Transportation Investment;
• July 31 at 2 p.m., EPA will hold a webinar on WaterSense Beat the Peak: Using Water Wisely for Commercial Outdoor Spaces Webinar, where participants can learn how to design and maintain attractive, healthy landscapes while minimizing irrigation and water losses throughout the year.

Explore APWA’s Member Advocacy Tools:

• APWA Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Resource page
• APWA Government Affairs LinkedIn
• APWA Government Affairs on X
• 118th Congress Public Policy Priorities and Policymaker Primers
• APWA Washington Report
• Legislative Action Center
• “What is Public Works?”
• Tell Your Story
• Public Works Research